Ireland Gault spent the first 11 months of her life unable to hear her mom and dad say, “I love you,” and her parents worried she never would.
“There was no indication at all that something was wrong,” says Ireland’s mom Courtney.
In March of 2017 Ireland was born a happy and healthy baby to excited parents, Courtney and Will Gault. As part of Manitoba’s universal newborn hearing screening program, her hearing was tested before leaving the hospital. To her parents’ surprise, Ireland failed the test in one ear.
At first, they weren’t too concerned but after several nerve-wracking months, additional testing revealed that Ireland had profound hearing loss in both ears.
“There were so many unknowns, and we were very scared for Ireland’s future,” says Courtney.
“I felt a sense of devastation, a loss of hope in the uncertainty as to how she was going to navigate this journey,” says Will.
Then Courtney and Will learned that Ireland was a great candidate for cochlear implants, surgically implanted devices that give patients the ability to hear the world around them. Paired with Auditory-Verbal Therapy and lots of practice, children like Ireland can understand and develop clear speech.
“As soon as we found out that Ireland was going to be a good candidate for cochlear implants, we knew the best solution for our daughter would be to get them as young as possible,” says Courtney. “It was a quite scary experience because they’re working quite close to her brain and nerves. There was a lot of anxiety.”
“You’re letting go of your baby and trusting the process,” says Will. “We’re grateful that she’s here, and that she was able to receive this miraculous surgery in such a warm and welcoming environment.”
At just 10 months old, Ireland became the youngest person in Manitoba to have bilateral cochlear implant surgery. After a month of healing, what she now calls her “ears” were activated and for the first time in her life, she heard her parents’ voices. She cried, and so did they.
“The Children’s Hospital gave our daughter life-changing surgery and the ultimate gift of hearing,” says Courtney. “We started showing her the noises around the house. We went and we turned on the water so she could hear the water. We went outside and we listened to the birds.”
Ireland’s cochlear implants allowed her to develop speech and language skills alongside her peers and each day Ireland gets to enjoy the sounds around her is a gift. Music. Singing. Laughter. Her parents saying, “I love you.”
“In the mornings when I turn on Ireland’s implants, it’s almost like she comes alive because she can instantly start communicating,” says Courtney.
Now Ireland is proud of her “ears.” She is a kind and energetic girl who loves gymnastics, singing, birds, and being a caring big sister to her younger sister Taylor. She loves to be active and spends her free time cheerleading or swimming in her grandparents’ pool.
While she sometimes feels different than her friends and has some trouble hearing and processing information in loud and busy environments, her parents have taught her that she can do anything she puts her mind to.
Best of all, Ireland’s successful surgery has made it possible for children just like her to receive cochlear implants before their first birthdays.
“She’s our little trailblazer for cochlear implants,” says Courtney. “We’re so proud of her.”
All of this would not be possible without experts in child health research to support new technology, equipment, and treatments for kids.
“We’re so incredibly thankful for the research that’s done. It has changed our daughter’s life. This is the miracle surgery that’s giving her the quality of life that we dreamed for her,” says Courtney.
For Ireland, her message to our community is clear.
“Please help kids like me!”
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